Cannes Chronicles: Top Trends at MIPCOM 2024 — AI, Ads, Archive Awakenings, and FAST Streaming

MIPCOM 2024 brought together industry heavyweights keen to explore the latest trends in entertainment. Navigating between Café Roma, the Palais, and lively evening events, we observed firsthand how the industry is charging headlong into a new era of content creation and monetization. Here are the top six trends emerging from Cannes this year — signposts for the future of content, technology, and audience engagement.

1. The AI Takeover: Redefining Content Creation

Artificial intelligence has evolved from a back-office tool into a creative powerhouse, transforming how content is conceptualized, produced, and marketed. From screenwriting to audience analysis, AI’s power to personalize experiences is groundbreaking but also raises questions around ethics and authenticity. With deepfake technology and virtual influencers becoming increasingly accessible, MIPCOM attendees debated where the industry should draw the line between human creativity and machine-generated content. AI’s growing role presents an opportunity for companies to craft hyper-personalized, data-driven stories — if they can balance innovation with authenticity.

2. FAST and AVOD Models Thrive

With the streaming market maturing, ad-supported models such as FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) and AVOD (ad-supported video on demand) are surging in popularity. These formats offer platforms a way to generate ad revenue while reaching cost-conscious audiences who prefer free content. MIPCOM highlighted how these models are reshaping streaming economics, with many companies innovating on ad experiences to retain viewers without overwhelming them. As these models gain traction, they could offer the best of both worlds: high-quality, accessible content and diversified revenue streams.

3. Archive Awakening: Historic Content Finds New Value

An unexpected standout at MIPCOM 2024 was the renewed focus on historical archives. As original productions face high costs and delays due to industry strikes, archived content has surged in popularity. Platforms are not just using classic movies and beloved TV shows as fillers but as strategic assets to engage audiences and tap into nostalgia. This shift underscores how valuable historical content has become, hinting that archives could play an increasingly central role in platform strategies.

4. Hyper-Regionalization: The Demand for Localized Content

Localization is more critical than ever, as global audiences crave culturally specific and non-English content. Platforms such as Netflix have already seen major success with localized series, and discussions at MIPCOM underscored how hyper-regionalization helps services compete in diverse, non-English-speaking markets. Amid production slowdowns in the United States, regional co-productions are also emerging as a cost-effective way to showcase local stories and talent. This trend signals that audiences want content reflecting their own experiences and values, which presents a unique growth opportunity for streaming platforms.

5. The Content Discovery Dilemma

With the abundance of content across FAST, AVOD, SVOD, and other streaming models, viewers are increasingly overwhelmed by choice. Yet finding exactly what they want to watch remains a challenge. At MIPCOM, the conversation focused on improving content discovery through smarter algorithms and user-friendly search tools. Companies such as TiVo are innovating in this space, but as content libraries expand, there’s a significant gap waiting to be filled. Streamlining content discovery will be essential for any platform aiming to enhance the viewer experience.

6. CTV’s Emergence: Shaking Up the Status Quo

Connected TV (CTV) OEM’s and new companies are rapidly reshaping the streaming landscape by blending digital ad precision with the immersive experience of traditional TV, offering new revenue streams and audience engagement strategies. The most successful CTV platforms are enhancing their FAST/AVOD offerings with premium content slates, EPG integration for seamless access, and local sales teams to better serve regional markets. Positioned directly in viewers’ homes, CTV platforms uniquely foster customer intimacy, allowing advertisers deeper insights into viewer preferences. As discussed at MIPCOM, CTV bridges the gap between streaming and broadcast, setting the stage to redefine digital and TV advertising’s balance.

The trends emerging from MIPCOM 2024 underscore a dynamic future for entertainment — one where innovation, inclusivity, and accessibility drive success. As the industry evolves, platforms and creators alike must adapt to meet audience demands, balancing advanced technology with meaningful, engaging content. Whip Media is excited to be part of this transformation, helping clients navigate these trends as they shape the future of entertainment.